Fire is an important natural process of the prairie ecosystem in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Without fire for many years, grasslands tend toward woodier plants such as sage and juniper. Fires provide circumstances where fast-growing grasses and forbs flourish. Periodic fires create a mosaic of different-aged grasslands, each with a unique assortment of plants that provide food and refuge for the wide variety of birds and mammals that live in the park.

More information on wildfire, prescribed fire, and fire's role in the park may be found on the park's Fire Management page.